Lord’s Bank man cleared of burglary charge jailed over unpaid fines

By Breaking Belize News Staff: A Lord’s Bank resident who absconded after receiving bail for a charge of burglary was cleared of that charge this week, but still ended up in prison over unpaid fines for previous offenses.

Thirty-five-year-old Rufino Hernandez was picked up by police on a bench warrant after not showing up for his court dates in relation to his burglary charge for four months. In court, he told the Magistrate that he had gone with some fishermen in San Pedro and their boat had mechanical problems.

Hernandez learned at his court appearance that the complainant had dropped the charges against him and he was free to go on that charge, but he had a pending case for not wearing a face mask during COVID lockdowns which he also was not showing up to court for.

He pleaded guilty to the charge and was fined $550 plus $5 cost of court in relation to that offense and was given until May 15 to pay or he would serve two months in prison. He also learned that he had three other convictions for which the fines had not been paid and that an order was in place for him to serve out those fines as prison time.

He was sentenced to a total of 10 weeks in prison.

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